The Quarter Pounder is a hamburger product sold by international fast foodchainMcDonald's, so named for containing a patty with a precooked weight of a quarter of a pound (113.4 g). It was first introduced in 1972. In 2013, the Quarter Pounder was expanded to represent a whole line of hamburgers that replaced the company's discontinued Angus Third Pounder hamburger.

Bernardin began experimenting with new menu items for his McDonald's franchises. According to a 1991 interview, Bernardin noted that he "felt there was a void in our menu vis-à-vis the adult who wanted a higher ratio of meat to bun."[1] In 1971, Bernardin introduced the first Quarter Pounders at his McDonald's in Fremont using the slogan, "Today Fremont, tomorrow the world."[1] His Quarter Pounder became a success and was added to the national American menu in 1972.

In November 2008, McDonald's Japan (which did not ordinarily offer the Quarter Pounder) converted two Tokyo restaurants into "Quarter Pounder" branded restaurants which only sold Quarter Pounder meals. These promotional branches closed on November 27, 2008 coinciding with the re-introduction of the Quarter Pounder at regular McDonald's branches throughout the Kantō (Tokyo) region from November 28.[2] The Quarter Pounder was launched at one McDonald's restaurant in the Kansai (Osaka) region on December 23, 2008.[3] It was later reported that 15,000 customers had visited the restaurant on the first day, generating a record 10.02 million yen in sales for a single restaurant in one day. However, it was also revealed that McDonald's had hired 1,000 "extras" to queue up on the first day. McDonald's Japan explained that the hirees were used for "product monitoring purposes".[4]

In most markets that do not use US customary measurements, the Quarter Pounder is known as the Hamburger Royale, McRoyal, or variants thereof. In France, Belgium and Portugal for example, the Quarter Pounder, which by standard includes cheese is called Royal Cheese. In Italy, formerly known as McRoyal DeLuxe, it goes by Deluxe, Cheese and Bacon variants.

In English-speaking countries that have adopted metrication, the burger retains the Quarter Pounder name. The term Quarterão com Queijo is used in metric Brazil, Cuarto de Libra con Queso in Spain and in Latin America, and Quarter Pounder Cheese is used in Sweden and Finland. In the United States and South Africa there are two variations: the Quarter Pounder with cheese, and the Quarter Pounder Deluxe. In some Middle-Eastern countries such as Saudi Arabia and United Arab Emirates, McDonald's provides both a Quarter Pounder and a McRoyale burger on its menu, the McRoyale having slightly different ingredients. In Chinese markets, the Quarter Pounder is known as a "full three taels" (Chinese: 足三両) because three taels is approximately equal in weight to a quarter pound. In Russia, it is known as Royal Cheeseburger.

The nutritional content of the Quarter Pounder varies between countries and locations. For example, in Australia, which uses local beef for its McDonald's products, the average Quarter Pounder has a higher protein value of 33.7 g per serving, in comparison to those found in the United States.[6]

Although they are most commonly associated with McDonald's, many other hamburger outlets sell or have sold quarter-pound hamburgers. "Quarter Pounder" is a trademark in the United States, but outlets in some other countries have been able to use similar names for their own products, such as the BritishWimpy chain's "Quarterpounder."[7]